Interim Order Protects Right Whales in Gulf

Summary#

The Government of Canada has made the Interim Order for the Protection of North Atlantic Right Whales (Eubalaena glacialis) in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, 2025 under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001. It temporarily limits how fast and where vessels can travel in parts of the Gulf of St. Lawrence to reduce harm to North Atlantic right whales. The order was made on April 16, 2025 and was published in the Canada Gazette on May 3, 2025.

What it does#

• Applies to vessels longer than 13 m (with exceptions for vessels in distress and certain government vessels).
• Sets a default speed limit of 10 knots over ground for vessels in:
  • defined "static zones",
  • "dynamic shipping zones" when whales are detected,
  • and in "seasonal management areas".
• Creates a "buffer area" that extends 5 nautical miles south of a dynamic shipping zone and 2.5 nautical miles east and west of that zone; the buffer is used when whales are detected.
• Allows the Minister to ask the Canadian Coast Guard to broadcast navigational warnings (NAVWARNs) that impose the speed limit or, in a specific restricted area, ban navigation.
• In the restricted area, most vessels are barred from navigating while the restriction is in force. Some vessels are exempt (for example, commercial fishing, research vessels with government funding, and certain government operations). Exempt vessels (other than certain government vessels) must limit speed to 8 knots while the restriction is in effect.
• Commercial fishing vessels working in waters up to 36.57 m deep are generally exempt from the static-zone speed limit — unless the Department of Fisheries and Oceans issues a notice and a NAVWARN says a right whale is detected in that shallow area; then the 10-knot limit applies for 15 days after detection.
• When a right whale is detected, the speed limit normally lasts for 15 days from detection; new detections can extend the limit by another 15 days under set conditions.
• If the government cannot run whale-detection activities for 7 days or more in a dynamic shipping zone, a NAVWARN will impose the 10-knot speed limit until detection resumes.
• Weather can temporarily suspend speed limits or navigation prohibitions if the Minister decides the suspension is needed for marine safety.
• The Interim Order expires automatically 30 days after it comes into force (it came into force the day it was made).

Who's affected#

• Operators of commercial ships, ferries, tug-and-barge units, and other large vessels longer than 13 m that use the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
• Fish harvesters and fishing companies — some fishing activity is exempt in shallow waters, but exemptions can be overridden when whales are detected.
• Marine researchers, response teams, and government vessels involved in enforcement, search and rescue, or whale response (some are exempt or operate under different speed rules).
• Coastal communities and ports in the Gulf region may see changes to vessel traffic and timing when zones are active.
• Indigenous fishers may be affected if their activities fall under the licence categories mentioned; the item references fishing under communal licences.

Why it matters#

• North Atlantic right whales are critically endangered. Slower speeds and temporary area closures reduce the risk of whales being struck by ships or injured by entanglement response activities.
• The rules can change quickly when whales are detected or when detection is interrupted, so shipping schedules and routing could face short-term delays or adjustments.
• Fishers who normally operate in shallow areas should watch for notices from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and NAVWARNs from the Canadian Coast Guard, because an announced whale sighting can impose a 10-knot limit for 15 days.
• The measure is temporary and targeted: it is meant to reduce immediate risks while allowing exemptions for urgent operations (rescue, enforcement, some fishing, research).